Astros' Javier, 2 relievers combine to no-hit Yankees

Sat, Jun 25, 2022
MLB News (AP)

NEW YORK (AP) - Cristian Javier, Hector Neris and Ryan Pressly combined on the first no-hitter against the New York Yankees in 19 years, shutting down the best team in baseball and pitching the Houston Astros to a 3-0 victory on Saturday.

Javier (5-3), a 25-year-old right-hander without a complete game in 84 professional starts, was clearly tired when manager Dusty Baker brought in a reliever to start the eighth. Javier set career highs for strikeouts (13) and pitches (115), and he matched his longest start with seven innings.

Pressly, who gave up a tying three-run homer to Aaron Hicks in a 7-6 loss Thursday night, retired three straight batters in the ninth for his 15th save in 18 chances.

After Giancarlo Stanton hit into a game-ending groundout, the Astros walked onto the field and gathered near the mound for a brief celebration. Houston was also the previous team to no-hit New York, when six pitchers combined for one at the old Yankee Stadium on June 11, 2003.

Rookie J.J. Matijevic gave Javier a lead in the seventh when he hit his second big league homer, driving a fastball from Gerrit Cole (6-2) into the right-field second deck. Jose Altuve homered into the left-field second deck in the eighth against Michael King, and pinch-hitter Yuli Gurriel added an RBI single off Lucas Luetge in the ninth.

CARDINALS 5, CUBS 3

ST. LOUIS (AP) - Ivan Herrera hit a tiebreaking sacrifice fly in the eighth inning for his first career RBI and St. Louis beat Chicago.

Juan Yepez lined a one-out double to the left field wall off Cubs reliever Mark Leiter Jr. (1-2) in the eighth, and pinch-runner Edmundo Sosa advanced to third on a wild pitch before scoring the go-ahead run on Herrera's fly.

Harrison Bader advanced to second on Herrera's out and scored on Tommy Edman's single to right field to extend the lead to 5-3.

Ryan Helsley (3-0) pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings to lower his ERA to 0.31.

RAYS 6, PIRATES 5

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - Isaac Paredes hit a solo homer in the eighth inning and a two-run single with two outs in the ninth, sending Tampa Bay to a 6-5 victory over Pittsburgh.

Ji-Man Choi and Vidal Brujan reached on two-out walks before Jonathan Aranda's pinch-hit single loaded the bases against David Bednar (3-2). Paredes then hit an opposite-field liner to right for his game-ending single.

Ralph Garza Jr. (1-2) worked two scoreless innings for the win in Tampa Bay's fourth straight one-run game. It also was a Rays-record 11th consecutive game decided by two or fewer runs.

Jack Suwinski hit a three-run homer for the Pirates.

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